ORLANDO, Florida, July 17. AT the Florida Age Group Long Course Championships this weekend in Orlando, Clearwater's Matthew Hirschberger, 12, shot down several U.S. National Age Group records.
First, he charted an 8:48.59 in the 11-12 800 freestyle event, which eclipsed the NAG record of 8:53.02 clocked by Maverick Smalley back in 2000. He returned in the 11-12 200 free with a sterling time of 2:00.88. That performance knocked down another of Smalley's NAGs set in 2000, this time his 2:01.30 in the 200 free.
Smalley lost his third of four 11-12 NAGs left when Hirschberger clocked a 4:13.93 in the 11-12 400 free. That time cleared Smalley's 4:15.71 from 2000. Smalley's remaining 11-12 NAG is a 1:09.48 100 breaststroke also from 2000.
Hirschberger also nearly tracked down the 11-12 NAG in the 100 free with a winning time of 55.95. Preston Padden's 2010 effort of 55.45 held up under the pressure.
Hirschberger will be going for one more NAG this evening in the 50 free. He hit the wall in 26.44 in prelims, and will need a 25.51 in the finale to down the 2003 standard set by Greg Pelton.